12 Games: Shinichi and Ran
by Gisachi
Summary: It's all fun and games until someone gets serious. Twelve random little games starring our favorite high school couple, Shinichi and Ran. Fluff warning! (Game #5 – Kiss Without Touch: Shinichi is the master of self-control. Until he isn't.) Rating raised to M!
1. Game 1: The Pocky Game

**12 Games: Shinichi and Ran**

**Game #1 – The Pocky Game  
**_Ran found a way to bring Shinichi out of his mystery otaku mode. It involved lots of guts and a Pocky stick.  
_Rating: T

* * *

Ran was having a _day._

She woke up in the morning with an incredibly bad case of PMS. Not only did she sleep through her three alarms, but the first text message she had to read upon checking her phone was Shinichi asking her to go to school ahead of him, because apparently, he overslept, too, as he got home at 2AM due to the Tokyo MPD seeking his assistance in a burglary case that night which happened two blocks away from his house. Ran replied with an "of course it can't be helped", and so she dashed like mad to school alone, almost getting run over by a car in the process.

When she arrived in school, she realized that she wore the wrong pair of socks. She put her shoes in the wrong locker, and she wouldn't have noticed it if not for another girl student pointing it out. As if it wasn't enough, she tripped on the stairs on her way to the classroom, injuring her right knee. At least she made it to her seat seconds before the teacher entered. She cursed at the air. The day hadn't even started and she was hating everything about it already.

Then came lunch period. Students of Teitan High 2-B excitedly got up from their seat as they made haste to the cafeteria. Ran wondered why many of them scrambled so fast out of the classroom, then she remembered that it was Monday, the day when melon pan and other limited sweets were available in the canteen. For a change, she thought of getting some, too.

Sonoko approached her desk. "Ran! Do you want to grab some sweets in the caf?"

"Sure," Ran nodded, deciding to just eat her packed lunch in the canteen. From her bag, she brought out two cleanly wrapped bento boxes she prepared the night before. She usually made one for herself and for Shinichi.

"Shinichi, let's go eat with Sonoko!" Ran invited Shinichi, whom she noticed had been sitting on his desk two rows behind her, fiddling with his phone for a while now. Judging from the way he wrinkled his eyebrow, she already knew what that expression in his face meant – much to her dismay.

"Sorry Ran, I'll be skipping lunch today, Megure-_keibu_ asked for my help in another case and I'm still deciphering this code he sent me. Go ahead and eat without me!" Shinichi hollered before excusing himself out of the classroom. He had no more time to see the distraught face Ran made as she watched him disappear out of the door frame.

Ran's eye narrowed. Guess she had no choice but to feed Shinichi's bento to the campus cats.

"Hoooo, Mouri-san! Maybe you can give Kudo's bento to us?" Nakamichi butted in.

Ran's deadly stare was enough to send him flying to the corner of the room. "J-joke, that's a joke!" her classmate stuttered. The other guys in her class laughed.

"Whatever. Here you go, Nakamichi-kun." Ran found it better to give the bento to them than to the cats. These guys were no different anyway.

Ran heard Nakamichi's "Sorry and thank you, Mouri!" as she left the classroom with Sonoko. Once outside, Ran let out a huge sigh of disappointment. She was actually looking forward to lunch because she'd get to hang out with Shinichi again, and she hoped that her already off day would get better if she, at the least, could talk to him. The last time they spent together was Wednesday last week. Ran's karate training ended late last Thursday while Shinichi met with Megure-keibu after class last Friday. They weren't able to meet during the weekend because Heiji got Shinichi involved in yet another complicated case involving a serial murderer in Osaka.

Everytime Shinichi was busy with cases, he couldn't be disturbed, not even by a text message. What would Japan be without him, the Holmes of the modern era? She wondered. And it wasn't helping her at all, because now she was having these silly thoughts, such as maybe cases were indeed Shinichi's true love while she, the girlfriend, was the jealous mistress. Her PMS was making her think weird things.

"That Shinichi! Doing whatever he pleases as if he doesn't have a girlfriend!" Sonoko aired her grievance like she had just read Ran's mind.

Ran looked at her and exhaled deeply. Ran was having a day, and overthinking about Shinichi wasn't going to make it any better.

"Yeah…I'll definitely talk to him after class." Her infuriation was evident despite her calm voice.

But Sonoko, clearly understanding her dejected friend's sentiments, sidestepped her, stopping the latter from her tracks. She firmly placed her hands on Ran's shoulders, surprising her. She could see the fighting spirit burning in her best friend's eyes.

"No, Ran! Don't just talk! Assert your right! Shinichi is a hopeless case when it comes to matters involving this!" Sonoko snarled, pointing at her own chest. She started speaking so fast that Ran could only catch bits and pieces of it. Her pep talk went somewhere along the lines of _"Shinichi is an idiot for leaving you like this", _and_ "Detective freak Shinichi!" _and_ "Ran is too kind to get mad!"_ Ran couldn't help but blink at her in amusement.

Sonoko continued. "You know, sometimes you just need to make the first move to remind him that he has a girlfriend," she said with a wink. Ran didn't understand what that meant.

Her last advice though was uttered so loudly that they captured the attention of some students walking nearby. "Make him NOT forget that YOU'RE his girlfriend, Ran!" Sonoko shook her index finger in front of Ran's face.

Ran didn't want to disappoint Sonoko, especially with that hopeful and determined expression of hers, so she gradually nodded her head to express her agreement.

"I will not make him forget…" Ran trailed off. Sonoko was pleased. She patted Ran's shoulders before releasing her hold on them.

"Good! Now let's buy some sweets before they run out!" Sonoko started walking again, dragging Ran by the arm. At least her frustration toned down a bit.

* * *

Afternoon class, however, didn't help improve Ran's mood. Her sixth period teacher caught her half-sleeping during lecture, and she was called out and almost everyone laughed at her. Shinichi was caught half-sleeping too, but he was able to redeem himself when he answered the very same complex problem the teacher asked Ran and the rest of the class to solve, thereby saving Ran (who still stood as Shinichi flawlessly recited the answer) from further humiliation. That just made Ran's irritation rise exponentially. She knew she wasn't dumb but she wouldn't deny hints of insecurity whenever she was at loss for answers and Shinichi would come to her rescue. To her, it was slightly discourteous and completely unnecessary. Her irrational anger made her puff her breath and stare at the window for the rest of the day.

After school, Ran and Shinichi walked home together for the first time in a long time (well, just 5 days). Yet majority of the time was spent with Shinichi doing the talking. He narrated to her the cases he encountered since last Friday, and Ran acknowledged them half-heartedly. Her right brain was listening, but her left brain had lost all the energy. _Blah blah blah cases…_ Ran yawned in despair.

Ran was having a day. Her PMS was making her irrationally hate everything and everyone. And Shinichi's just aggravating it by being the mystery freak, suiri otaku, Holmes maniac, I-attract-dead-bodies, all-cases-no-play, Shinichi.

Shinichi continued blabbering while Ran remained silent until they reach the Kudo mansion. Ran would usually spend a couple of minutes in his house before Shinichi would walk her back home. Upon entering the front door, Ran went straight to the living room while Shinichi disappeared for a while in the Kudo library, only to reappear in the living room with a, yup, you guessed it, Sherlock Holmes novel in hand.

_Great... He's still in the mystery zone. Even if I'm right here, alone with him, in his house. Doing nothing. Just great._

Ran stood by the fireplace, munching in frustration at the last Pocky stick from the first box she bought from the cafeteria. She realized too late that she bought too much, and now two Pocky boxes remained unopened. She could save both of them for tomorrow, or she could eat one box now and give the other to Shinichi.

And then out of the blue, her mind replayed Sonoko's words during lunch time.

"_Make him NOT forget that YOU'RE his girlfriend, Ran!"_

Ran looked at the unopened Pocky box on her hand, then at Shinichi. Then at the Pocky box again. One of her eyebrows perked up.

She had an idea, but she didn't know if it'd work. Especially on _him._

"…_Sometimes you just need to make the first move to remind him that he has a girlfriend!"_

After a few minutes of contemplation, she finally found her resolve and cleared her throat. _No harm in trying, I guess._ Time to make Sonoko proud.

"Shinichi, let's play a game."

"What game?" Shinichi replied aridly, without looking away from the Holmes novel he was reading.

"This game."

Shinichi lifted his eyes to look at Ran from across the room. She had just placed in between her lips one strawberry-flavored Pocky stick. He definitely had no idea what's going on.

"Huh?"

"Dhu wocky gaywme."

Shinichi's eyebrows met at the center. It was only on rare occasions that he would look at Ran ominously. And this was one of those moments. Ran had definitely gone bonkers.

"What?"

Ran removed the stick from her mouth to speak.

"I said the Pocky game."

Shinichi snorted. What kind of bizarre game is that?

Ran seemed to have read his thoughts, so she spoke first even before he could say anything.

"It's not just something I randomly invented. It's a popular game. Maybe if you actually pay attention to other trivial things instead of solving all of Tokyo's mysteries, then you'll know it?" Ran rolled her eyes to the side, hoping that he'd see through her passive-aggressiveness.

Ran heard movement from the couch where Shinichi comfortably laid. Shinichi's attention had now shifted to her. He placed the open book on his belly and adjusted his position so that he was already semi-Indian sitting and facing her. "Geez, looks like someone's in a bad mood today."

"_You think, Sherlock?" _Ran's eye twitched but she didn't vent her frustrations aloud anymore. Sonoko was right, this guy _is_ a hopeless case. Sometimes, she just wants to hit this detective boyfriend in the head. Yes, he's naturally observant when it comes to people, and Ran could not deny that fact especially since there were countless times where he had saved her from danger because he was always looking out for her, but there were also instances wherein he'd just become too engrossed in his own little world of mysteries and detective fiction novels that he'd literally forget about everything else, including her. And Ran hated that. So much. He is a genius, but he seriously needs to attend several workshops on How to Know When Your Girlfriend is Pissed and What to Do When it Happens.

Shinichi had now sat straight on the couch. "Tell me about this game, I'm listening." Without letting go of his book, he made this awkward toothed smile at her.

Ran crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "I don't believe you, Shinichi," Ran was still obviously pissed. "First, you have to close that book, say bye-bye to Mr. Holmes, then come here."

Shinichi was taken aback by her unexpected attitude. On normal days, she was usually chill. For Shinichi, this was a pretty average day, but maybe that was not the case for his girlfriend, who, from the looks of it, was absolutely not in the mood to take any excuse for an answer (Good job, Shinichi, for finally realizing). So, like an obedient child to his mother, he closed the book, got up from the couch, walked to the edge of it and rested his lower body on its arm.

"There, Ran. Now I'm all ears." He let out this big grin as an attempt to appease her temper. But that didn't seem to work because Ran didn't even move a slightest muscle for a smile.

In reality though, Ran wasn't prepared for this. The scenario she imagined in her head was that Shinichi would ignore her silly request and continue being the nerd that he was, causing her to storm out of his house, leaving Shinichi begging on his knees as she held the last evil laugh. She had actually even pictured her walk-out face in her mind. But now that he was in front of her, with his entire attention focused on her, she didn't know what to do next. Asking him to play a game he had never heard of actually worked as bait? This was not part of the script!

But anyway, she didn't let her thoughts show. She maintained her signature frustrated Ran face. Taking a deep breath, she had no choice but to let her PMS fuel her with extraordinary strength and confidence for all that she's about to do next. _Kami-sama help her._

"The person who gets the last bite from this Pocky stick wins." She explained as she raised the Pocky stick on her hand.

Shinichi blinked at her for a good three seconds, anticipating a follow-up. However, there was none.

"That's it?"

"Yes."

Shinichi raised one eyebrow, his eyes full of questions.

"So wait. We're going to use _that_ Pocky stick?"

"Yes."

"Just one Pocky stick?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to bite on the other end?"

"Yes."

"And we're going to bite on it at the same time – until it gets smaller and smaller?"

"Yes."

"And the last person to take the last bite…wins?"

"That's exactly it, yes."

Ran watched Shinichi look up the ceiling as he tried picturing her instructions in his head. When she saw his eyes widen and gradients of red streamline from his neck to his cheeks, she knew he finally got it.

"Well… are you up for it or not?" her question brought him back to earth.

"W-wait a sec – What is this game even? D-did Sonoko teach this to you?" Shinichi stammered as he answered her with another question.

"No, she didn't. I told you it's a popular game. So just tell me, do you want to play it or nah?" Ran took one step forward. She was getting more assertive, putting to heart Sonoko's advice.

"Why the heck should we play this?"

"But do you want to play? Yes or no."

"I mean, you do know that we might, I don't know, o-our lips might…?"

"Are you up for this challenge? No?"

"Are you out of your mind—"

"Game or not?"

"But – "

"Shinichi."

"You're really not kidding?"

"SHINICHI. Do you want to play or not? If you reply with anything else other than yes or no, I will hit you."

"…"

There was a slight pause. Shinichi was clearly struggling to find an answer, and Ran found it oddly fascinating. She had never seen him this flabbergasted before; his arrogant and esteemed demeanor gone. It was as if the Shinichi from five minutes ago completely disappeared and was replaced by this awkward, tongue-tied teenage boy.

Looking to the side with furrowed eyebrows and streaks of red on his cheeks, Shinichi, at long last, spoke, with a voice one octave lower than before.

"…Yes."

_Heh. Got you, Meitantei._

Ran bowed her head, and, with her bangs covering her eyes, made that same small smirk similar to her first ever encounter with Shinichi – yes, that smirk preceding the smile which made him fall head over heels for her. She couldn't help it. She hit his Achilles' Heel, and that made her so proud of herself. That was the first good thing that had happened that day. She could feel her mood gradually changing.

Still with a smug smirk, Ran repositioned the Pocky stick between her lips. She took a few steps towards Shinichi who remained silent at the edge of the couch. It was hard to make sense of the expression on his face at that moment – he exhibited a sloppy combination of feigned annoyance, apparent nervousness, and irrevocable submission. He looked at the approaching Ran with peeved eyes and flushed cheeks. She wouldn't lie, seeing him in that state was so achingly adorable.

Ran stopped in front of him, tilted her head up, and motioned Shinichi to bite on the other end of the stick. His furrowed eyebrows remained even as he bit on it sluggishly. But before he did, he couldn't prevent himself from jibing at her. "Just so you know, this game is stupid. But if I win, don't fight me, okay?"

To which Ran mockingly retorted, "Whatchevwer you shay. I'm gwoing tcho win thish anyhway." The Pocky stick in her mouth slurred her speech.

Shinichi made a sarcastic "Heeeeh" before getting back at her. "We'll find out soon."

Both of them assumed their starting position. Ran's hands were clasped behind her back as she bit the end of her Pocky stick, while Shinichi supported his weight at the arm of the couch using his two hands. Both their mouths now occupied by this thin biscuit, they waited attentively for the other to start munching.

It was Ran who did first. _Crack._ Ran saw movement on Shinichi's throat as she did.

Shortly after, Shinichi nibbled his end loudly. _Crunch_. That sounded like a big portion, and Ran noticed that the length of the stick had considerably been reduced by a fourth.

Ran took two more bites, while Shinichi took another big one.

In order to prevent the stick from falling, Ran had to inch a little closer to him. Shinichi didn't budge, and remained pressed at the edge of the couch.

Given that Pocky sticks are generally not long to begin with, it only took a few moments before they found themselves in that level of proximity where they could feel the warm, regulated breathing of the other.

When she looked into his eyes, Ran noticed that Shinichi's face had already changed from being perturbed to being incredibly serious, him staring back at her with his unsmiling game face, as if he really wanted to win this. Ran heard her heart skip one beat, but she tried her best not to pay attention to it. She knew very well that this time, her pride wouldn't allow her to lose to him, especially after it took her all the effort to preserve and sustain this arrogant façade she was showing him.

The same time his eyes narrowed at hers, Shinichi took another bite. Ran almost let the Pocky stick escape her lips, but good thing she managed to swiftly hold it in place with her teeth. At this point, the stick was smaller than ever, like the size of a pinky. Ran again took a millimeter step closer, already finding the need to tiptoe. She needed to steady Shinichi's face at a proper angle, or else she would be at a disadvantage. She had to be strategic if she really wanted to win. So without warning, she held Shinichi's cheeks in between her hands.

Ran's movement didn't fluster Shinichi that much. In fact, it even encouraged him to wrap one arm around her waist. He felt her took a deep breath and if he could snicker at that moment, he would. Shinichi must have read through her, and being true to his word, he'd gladly prefer winning in any game, even this game, no matter how stupid it was. All he had to do was to get the last bite from the Pocky stick. It was that easy, right?

But then, he didn't realize how Ran was making it so damn hard for him to.

Not until he saw how Ran's eyes fluttered to a close when the stick was only less than an inch long.

Not until Ran's hands holding his cheeks tightened their grasp as if her whole life depended on it.

Not until he felt her warm chest press against his. So warm, it electrified his body.

And definitely not until he felt her soft lips make slight contact with his own.

He'd move his lips with hers if he could. He really wanted to, actually.

_Don't let go of the stick. Don't let go of the stick. Don't let go of the stick._ Ran repeated the mantra in her head, even after she felt her lips brush against Shinichi's. Their distance (or the lack of it) made it impossible for her to open her eyes any longer. If she did, she knew she would lose miserably because her heart would start acting up (as if it hadn't yet). She could hear Shinichi's composed breathing combining with his irregular heartbeats against her chest. Shinichi's right arm on her waist yanked her even closer, making her heighten her tiptoe.

_Don't let go of the damn stick! _She desperately prayed.

Shinichi was still biting on his end. All it would take to win was to make one final munch in order to snatch the remaining portion away from her mouth. He inclined his head a little to the right so that he'd have a better and more comfortable access to Ran's mouth once he started with his strategy. But of course, Ran wouldn't make it that simple for him, would she? Ran synchronized her movement with him by tilting her head to her right as well. Not only that, but she even pulled his face downward, closer to her, resulting on him being forced to loosen his grip on the arm of the couch and just completely stand away from it.

Ran's lips competitively clashed with his, eager to obtain the final portion of the stick he was biting at.

Shinichi was confused. This intimate position, with his arm wrapped around her tightly and both of her hands firmly trapping his face in between them, was making it absolutely difficult for him to get his head in the stupid game. For the life of him, he did not even know ifhe was_ still_ playing or not. But with his left arm now free, he brazenly let it encircle her waist.

Not because he needed to win, but because he just _wanted _it _there._

Meanwhile, Ran could still feel the Pocky stick between her teeth, assuring her that she was not yet losing. But the problem was, she could also feel Shinichi's warm and demanding lips. And the bigger problem was, Shinichi was pulling her even closer than ever, deepening the press of their lips together. She needed to breathe, but she couldn't let go. She couldn't let go, because she would lose.

What she was not admitting was she couldn't let go because she truly, honestly, _genuinely_ didn't want to.

It was in those few moments of internalizing and making narratives in their heads that Shinichi and Ran didn't realize the stick disappear from their mouths. Somebody let go first. But it wasn't clear who it was.

All that there was to know was that lips started moving. No more Pocky stick to be held in place. No more game to think about.

It's not like they didn't foresee something like this would happen. In fact they did. And who were they kidding? Wasn't that the reason why she requested him to play this game in the first place? Wasn't that the reason why he agreed despite trying to fight off his bashfulness?

Perhaps, they got the result they wanted, because now what remained were two teenagers linked together in such impassioned posture, exchanging short, luscious kisses, her snarky persona gone in an instant as if she never showed herself at all, and his pocket book forgotten on the coffee table as if it wasn't what was keeping him busy minutes ago.

They remained that way for five seconds, before Ran finally broke it off.

She released Shinichi's warm face from her grasp, then wiped away the bits of crumbs settling on the corners of her lips.

"I won," she sneered.

"No, you didn't. I did." he argued.

"No you didn't. I won. You let go first."

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"Did not. You did."

"I didn't!"

Shinichi glowered at her for what seemed like eternity before he let out a huge sigh.

"It's pointless. Let's just call it a draw."

Ran narrowed her eyes at him menacingly before finally conceding. "…Fine." Although quite disappointed, she realized that the winner was indeed indeterminable. It was not their fault though. They got distracted.

They didn't notice until later that Shinichi's arms were still wrapped around her waist. Trying to fight off the awkwardness building up between them in such close distance, Ran frantically looked somewhere else to divert her attention. She laid her eyes on her watch, only to find out that it was already quarter to six. Did they really just spend an entire 15 minutes eating, or rather, sharing, one Pocky stick?

"W-would you look at the time, Shinichi! I still have to make dinner for _otou-san. _Good game, though. I enjoyed it. I now give you my permission to return to your beloved Holmes, after you bring me back home." She lightly pushed his chest away and took two steps back from him. Shinichi snorted at her snide. He appeared to be pleased as evidenced by the curve of his lips but at the same time his gruntle sounded expectant and a bit disappointed. Why in the world would Shinichi be disappointed? Was it because he didn't win?

"C'mon, be a sport! Don't feel bad that you didn't win," Ran tittered, elbowing him gently on his arm.

Shinichi replied dryly. "Well excuse me, you didn't win either, even when you said you would. I could definitely see the regret on your face. After all, you went through the trouble of pressing your body against me and tiptoeing closer to my lips in dire attempt to steal the biscuit—"

"SHINICHI!" Ran stopped him midway by jabbing him on his arm, her cheeks now fuming red because of what Shinichi said and how he said it so nonchalantly. Shinichi chuckled the pain from his arm away.

"It's not like you didn't do anything either! You said this game was stupid and yet – and yet…" Ran couldn't continue because of her embarrassment upon remembering the feel of Shinichi's lips during the game, and after.

Shinichi had the reverse uno card, his arrogance returning as he teased Ran whose cute heated face remained red and at loss for words. He probed suggestively. "And yet, what?"

Ran's shyness had now prevailed over her. Not knowing what to say, she just grabbed her bag by the coffee table. "Anyway, I'm going home! You should probably decide now if you'd rather walk me home or just stay here and continue with your book. I don't want to distract you any longer." Ran said this without notice that Shinichi had already made his way to the fireplace to inspect something.

"That won't do, Ran."

The solemnity in his voice made her glance at his direction, and there she saw him standing by the fireplace, on his hand the opened strawberry Pocky box she had long forgotten about, with only one stick reduced.

"You know what? If it bothers you as much as it bothers me then maybe we can find out the real winner if we finish this whole box."

The longer Ran looked at him, the more she could see the very faint blush appearing on his cheeks.

Clearly, this detective was long out of his mystery otaku mode already.

With her immediately letting go of her satchel and walking towards his direction, Shinichi knew her answer.

"Actually there's one more box in my bag. Maybe if we end up in a draw again, we can finish that box too. It's matcha."

"Matcha sounds nice. But let's finish this strawberry box first. Come here and we'll start with round two," he said, before shoving one Pocky stick into his mouth.

"Round two. Game."

And so that night, Ran went home a little later than usual.

But on the bright side, at least her day was made.


	2. Game 2: The Claw Game

**Game #2: The Claw Game  
**_Ran's the luckiest, isn't she?  
_Rating: K+

* * *

"Look, Shinichi, I got one again!"

The 14-year old middle school brunette gleefully exclaimed at her companion, delighted at the second prize she had won so effortlessly from the giant claw machine.

"What?! Isn't that the same stuffed toy you got like five minutes ago?" the eyes of her male friend, of the same age, widened in disbelief. The boy had with him his bag and the bag of his girl companion. Earlier, he offered to carry hers when he saw how her eyes glistened at the newly opened arcade station they happened to pass by on their way home from school. When he told her that she could go in since they weren't rushing anyway, she didn't even bother hiding her excitement anymore as she hastily entered and explored the one-month old gaming establishment.

"Yes, but it's a different color. I will give this to Sonoko this Christmas." The girl, Ran, was very proud of herself; there was nothing but sheer happiness in her eyes as she excitedly called the arcade staff for an extra paper bag where she could put her newly obtained merchandise, a cute medium-sized brown squirrel stuffed toy.

"I just found a soccer ball keychain over there. Why don't you try, Shinichi? You might be able to get it!" her thrilled voice called onto him. Before he could respond, the girl dragged him by his arm over to the next aisle where a long array of claw machines with small prizes were located. She stopped by the third machine on the left side.

"It's here, see! I think that one is easy to get – c'mon, try it, Shinichi! I still have some yen to spare." Ran pointed at the soccer ball with a green strap protruding from inside the machine as she eagerly convinced her disinterested friend to try the activity that was making her so happy for a while now.

"Uh, no thanks. I'm good," the boy, Shinichi, muttered. He preferred watching her than actually playing. He stepped back from in front of the machine to give way to his companion. However, Ran wasn't taking it.

"Don't be such a killjoy! Here, I've placed a hundred yen coin already, please try!" she pleaded. He just couldn't reject Ran's offer when she was presenting herself to be this enthusiastic; he had never seen her this elated over something she had tried for the first time and he realized that she just wanted to share her small happiness with him. "It's really easy, Shinichi. I'm pretty sure you'll get that keychain," she assured.

Finding it useless to argue, Shinichi sighed in defeat. "If you insist."

He then positioned himself in front of the machine, while Ran's grin stretched from ear to ear, transparently excited for her friend.

The machine required the player to press two buttons, the first button was for the claw to move to the right and the second one was for the back movement. Accuracy was the key in claw games, and Shinichi undeniably possessed that. Ran even said it was easy, so it must be easy.

Shinichi let go of the second button and the claw lowered just barely above the protruding green strap, but when it closed to hook the object, the claw missed it.

"Ahh— You almost got it! One more try Shinichi, you'll get it on your second try!" Ran cheered her friend on. He inserted another coin, and the claw began moving once more.

But he still didn't get it.

He couldn't.

He just couldn't.

Not in two more tries. Not in five. Not in eight.

But when Ran took his place, she got it in less than three attempts.

…How in the world did she do that?

Shinichi let out a silent grumble as Ran handed him the green soccer ball keychain he was having a hard time getting. Ran meekly smiled at him as she did—Ran wasn't even competing against him but for some reason Shinichi wanted to prove to her that he could get a prize, too. He stubbornly thanked Ran for the keychain, and Ran just giggled at his obstinance. She continued encouraging Shinichi to try other machines; maybe his luck would prevail in a different one. He browsed the other machines but he couldn't find a good enough prize that he'd wanted to get.

As he was looking at the other available games in the arcade station, he noticed that Ran had been intently staring for a while at two high school couples who were also playing the claw game on the other aisle. The claw game in question had for a prize stuffed toys of cute cats of assorted colors. Ran paid particular attention to the red and white cat plushies mixed with the other colors, but she seemed disheartened when the high school guy got the only remaining red plushie and gave it to the girl beside him who appeared to be his girlfriend. Ran and Shinichi awkwardly observed the girl kiss the guy on the cheek and thanked him for giving her the cute cat stuffed toy.

Shinichi looked at Ran, who was still looking at the other couple. She projected the same adorable expression as the time when he took the last remaining doughnut prepared by his mother for them and she watched him with puppy dog eyes as he reached for a bite. When he remembered the look on her face and how helplessly charming she was back then, he suddenly felt his cheeks warming up and that instantly caused him to transfer his gaze to the other machines nearby.

Something caught his attention on the far end of the aisle. Ran might not have seen that yet, because if she did she would be gushing. The machine displayed more cellphone straps, and they were all cucumber-shaped. He knew for a fact that there was only one cucumber-shaped strap that was popular in Beika area.

He then took one more glance at Ran and suddenly a realization struck him. He had thought of the best idea ever, but for it to work, he had to work reaaally hard for it.

"Let's go home, Ran. That's enough prizes for today." Shinichi took a step back and turned around. He passed by her, walked on the opposite side toward the exit, followed by an upset Ran.

"Already? B-But I still—"

"I'm going ahead," Shinichi declared, without looking back at her.

Ran frowned. She released a beaten sigh and half-heartedly tailed her friend outside, wondering what made Shinichi's mood change like that all of a sudden.

* * *

For the next few days, Shinichi requested that they both take a route different from that which they usually took on their way home from school. For that reason, Ran had no more chance to drop by the arcade station, which was on the opposite block.

She thought that Shinichi might have gotten annoyed at her because she took several minutes in the arcade while he irascibly watched her luck come into play. Anyone who would witness her play any machine in that arcade station would be jealous at how natural it was for her to win three times out of five. It was a puzzle, how the heck she managed to get so good at these. Meanwhile, Shinichi would just get frustrated at the fact that he had to spend several hundreds of yen in there only to get nothing. She thought that Shinichi had better things to do than watch her play there; she was probably wasting his time by dragging him along with her. So she didn't insist anymore when he requested her for a change of route. Besides, she already had too many stuffed toys that she was practically running out of space on her headboard in her room in which she would place them.

Fast forward to a week after – Christmas day finally arrived.

Traditionally, the two children made it a point to spend a few hours together every Christmas, with Ran dropping by the Kudo mansion and his parents serving them hot cocoa, pretzels, and assorted Christmas delicacies. Ran really enjoyed spending time with Shinichi and his parents because she herself couldn't get to feel the festivity of the holidays with her own family despite the Christmas season being supposedly branded as the best time of the year. Her mom lived separately from her and her dad – they'd only get to celebrate Christmas at night over dinner at a fancy restaurant because her mom would work the whole day notwithstanding her day off. For this Christmas, Ran and her parents agreed to just meet each other at the restaurant in Beika Hotel for dinner. Ran's dad would be picking her up at 5pm in the Kudo residence so she still had time to spend with Shinichi's family before her dad fetched her.

When she arrived at his house, Shinichi noticed that she wasn't at her best self. The flush on her cheeks was not due to any positive emotion, but because she was actually sick with colds and cough. She said she already took her medicine before she went to his house, but its effect would only manifest after a few more hours. Shinichi reprimanded her, telling her that she should have just informed him that she was sick so that he'd be the one to come over to her house instead of the other way around.

"It's okay, Shinichi. I'm already here. Also, I'd prefer going here than you going to our apartment. It's messy, and I kinda don't want to spend the whole day there either. It's lonely with only one parent staying there." Ran attempted to smile but her eyes reflected all kinds of forlorn. Shinichi felt sorry just by looking at her.

They spent a couple of minutes in silence, the steam from their hot cocoa gradually disappearing every minute until their mugs became lukewarm.

Soon, Shinichi disturbed the quietness with his proud, resounding voice.

"I have something for you that will cheer you up."

Ran, with her puffy eyes and stuffed nose, watched him curiously. "For me?"

"Come, I'll show you," he extended his arm at her, and the latter timidly grabbed it before the boy pulled her with him to the living room.

A few steps later and they arrived at their destination. Ran's eyes scanned the space for anything new, and they tersely stopped when two new objects in the middle of the room caught her attention. She scrunched her eyes to take a better look, then she realized that they were two red and white stuffed toys in the shape of cats sitting comfortably on the coffee table by the couch. Two beautifully arranged ribbons of the same colors were adorned on top of their heads to make them look more presentable. She abruptly stilled upon laying eyes on them.

Seconds after, she heard the boy clear his throat.

"I-I was able to get two colors from the claw thing, and I don't know which you'll like better since you like both red and white." Shinichi's voice cracked as he spoke.

Ran felt her heart beat a little faster than normal. Did he notice that she was looking at these cat stuffed toys in the arcade last week?

"How many tries did you take to get these, Shinichi?" she asked, in no way intending to sound mean.

"H-hey, no asking!" Shinichi masked his embarrassment but it was futile since his cheeks were already glowing. To be honest, he didn't know how to answer that one even though he knew it to be just a rhetoric. And he'd rather not answer to avoid incriminating himself.

It was a challenging experience for him, because for the past week, he had to pretend to Ran that he had already gotten home just so that he could return to the arcade station and spend hours and days trying to get the plushies of her desired color. He had to wait for the staff to restock the red cat plushies. Originally he got an orange one, but he requested the attendant to switch colors because he'd really prefer red, because Ran wanted red. He wasn't able to keep track of how much he spent in total just so that he could get, not one, but two of these plushies. He didn't need to tell Ran all of these. What mattered was that he got them, on his own, and he was able to prove to himself that he didn't suck at this claw game after all. Even though it took him an undetermined number of attempts. He didn't suck that much; maybe only a little. But of course he'd deny it if she asked.

Ran scampered to the coffee table and tightly hugged the two plushies in her arms. The color on her face was returning, and that made Shinichi beam brightly.

"Thank you, Shinichi! I'll give the white one to my mom because she likes cats too!" she joyfully remarked. The grin on her face was back.

She thought he was already done, but he still had something up his sleeve.

"By the way, I also got you…" he reached out for something in his pocket, before exposing in his hand a small pickle-shaped cellphone strap. "...this."

Ran thought her eyes couldn't get any bigger when she saw the two red and white cat stuffed toys earlier. She was wrong because now her amethyst eyes almost bulged out of their sockets in surprise.

"I figured that you will immediately take an interest once you see this new limited edition of _namako otoko _strap they had. I was surprised that they hung it in the arcade last week as a prize when in fact these were only sold in Beika Aquarium, so I thought, why not take the chance for Ran? I wanted to get it first before anyone else, otherwise it wouldn't be that special."

Ran's mouth remained agape. She looked at Shinichi and then at the strap. Then at Shinichi again, who, at this point, had turned three shades of crimson after realizing what he just said. It almost sounded like an indirect confession.

"I-I mean, I want you to have it first before any other people could, because you find it cute and it makes you happy!"

Ran's realization dawned late. So the reason why he requested that they take a different route on their way home from school was to actually prevent her from passing by the arcade and spoiling her of his present to her…? He wanted to surprise her? He wanted to make her proud and happy by getting her the strap which he knew to be her favorite?

"A-and because if other people have this limited edition too, then it won't be considered as limited edition anymore, r-right?" he wasn't sure anymore if what he was saying made sense. He figured that he was just digging his own grave deeper for every disclaimer he added.

But he still went on and on. "…a-and if you see it in the event that we pass by there on our way home, for sure you'll get it. It's almost too unfair that you're getting everything so easi—"

"You like it when I'm happy, Shinichi?" she cut him short with her straightforward question, her twinkling eyes intently focusing on him and his future reaction.

The way Ran asked that so endearingly left Shinichi struggling for words.

"_B-Barou_! Who wants other people to b-be sad? N-not me! I'm not an idiot!" he almost jumbled up his consonants.

Ran tried to muffle her giggle but realized she couldn't. Soon, she let her laughter echo in the living room while brushing away one tear from her eye. Tears, because her stuffy nose was giving her a hard time to breathe making her eyes feel watery, and tears because she was really, really happy, thanks to this flustered boy in front of her.

Ran got up from her knees, carrying with her the two plushies, and strutted to Shinichi's direction. She caught him by surprise when she tackled the boy with a warm, heartfelt hug.

"Thank you Shinichi! Merry Christmas!" Ran glomped at him, with the two stuffed toys in between them and Shinichi still clutching at the _namako otoko_ strap wrapped around his fingers.

"Hey—you're still sick! Stop it—" he attempted pushing himself away from her tight grasp, but in the end decided against it after witnessing a big smile healthily growing from her face, warming his heart in return. His earlier creased forehead immediately relaxed and soon, he found himself imitating the same, wholesome smile she was so beautifully wearing.

"Merry Christmas too, Ran."

Between the two of them, Ran was pretty sure that she was indeed luckier, in more ways than one.

* * *

**A/N: **Some gift of ShinRan fluff for the holidays~ _**Happy Holidays, everyone!**_


	3. Game 3: Old Maid

**Game #3 – Old Maid  
**_She hoped that once he made the call, her phone would ring. But it didn't. Of course not. There's no way that he'd dial her, right? After all, he's supposed to dial the person he likes. _AU  
Rating: T

* * *

"I don't think this is a good idea, Sonoko."

"Oh c'mon. Don't be silly! You just told me the other day that you're bored to death. I'm not even surprised though. Your life only basically revolves around school and karate, Ran! Now thank me because I'm going to make your life a bit more interesting."

The cheerful, light ginger-haired lady did not even give her friend a moment to reply, because as soon as she finished talking, she grabbed her friend's arm and pulled her along with her out of their classroom and into the direction of the adjacent room.

"I will introduce you to Sonoko-sama's 'after-school 'club' activity'!"

For socialites like Sonoko, classroom hopping was a thing after school. That's how the likes of her garnered so many friends in campus. But this long-haired brunette friend of hers, Ran, was the opposite. Sure, she's pretty popular, being known as the karate queen in Teitan High because of her unmatched prowess in the said martial arts, but it was precisely because of that that most students in her school found her kind of intimidating and thus unapproachable. Which was sad because in reality she's very far from that. She's sweet and loveable and all kinds of good and Sonoko could certainly attest to it, having known her since they were kids.

Through the glass window from the corridor, Ran saw some students sitting in a messy circle near the teacher's desk inside that adjacent room. They looked rather – how should she put it – poised and rich. Not that she had any problem with that, but she hated small talks and if she had to deal with it later, she'd probably just rely on her friend Sonoko to keep her afloat in the boat. Her friend never ran out of topics, which made her such a valuable, life-of-the-party kind of person.

Sonoko slid the door open and casually barged in like it was her own classroom. "Yo,_ minna_!"

"Hi, Sonoko-san. We were just talking about you." The girl with a long wine-red hair standing by the window greeted her. Her voice was high-pitched but not the annoying kind. Ran thought she was really pretty.

"And I see you brought a friend?" The student sitting by the desk near the pretty woman spoke this time. He looked like a serious gentleman. Though he spoke fluent Japanese, he didn't look like one. His blonde hair and light brown eyes screamed English. A foreign transferee, perhaps.

The dark-skinned guy sitting on the teacher's desk inspected her from head to toe.

"Wait a sec. Could this nee-chan be, Mouri Ran?" the guy inquired.

"You mean, the karate queen? A pleasure to meet you! I'm Ooka Momiji." Momiji extended her hand at her which she gladly accepted. As Ran shook her hand, she couldn't help but notice the curly-haired girl's incredibly huge front.

The dark-skinned guy spoke again. "I'm Hattori Heiji. That obnoxious looking dude right there is Hakuba, while the woman beside him is Akako. Both folks are from class 2-A."

"And this guy right here," he patted the back of the guy sitting on the teacher's chair next to him, "is Kudo Shinichi."

Ran's eyes brightened at the guy who was just introduced. Either it was her unsureness or his impulse that the guy's eyes glimmered as well in reaction to what she herself did.

"Oh, I know him!" Ran said.

"Right, everybody in this school knows about Kud—"

"He was a classmate in middle school."

Everyone in that room stared at her as if she had said something off.

But Shinichi smiled kindly, effectively disrupting the problematic expression of the others.

"Oh—yeah. You're right, Ran-san."

Sonoko nudged Ran's shoulders.

"Ran! That's Kudo Shinichi, the great detective! He sometimes teams up with Hattori in solving cases, and the two of them are currently the heartthrobs in campus! You didn't know that?"

"Stop Sonoko. That's not really important, is it?" It wasn't obvious that Shinichi was embarrassed, but from the likes of it, he seemed to have already gotten used to this treatment and had already mastered how to react when people introduce him as THE Kudo Shinichi.

"But that's not a lie, nee-chan. Currently though I am number one and Kudo is number two." The guy named Heiji butted in, ruffling the hair of his companion who was reading a Sherlock Holmes book on the side. She rather found the dynamics of the two cute.

"Really? That's awesome."

Of course she knew Kudo Shinichi to be a great detective. But she didn't have to tell and she wondered why. Perhaps because she remembered him better when they were in middle school; they were paired up for a project and even if it was for a week she felt herself developing a small crush on him. Not because of his looks (though she did factor that in, how his face was so charming and almost too perfect, a wonderful product of a beautiful actress mom and a handsome novelist dad) nor his popularity (she didn't even know he was _that_ popular when they were still in middle school), but because in the short time that they'd worked together, she was captivated by his strong principles and ideals. She remembered having a small conversation with him while they were doing the project. They were talking about aspirations in life, and when she learned that his father was a crime novelist, she asked if he wanted to be like him. His answer was a remarkable no. _"I don't want to write about detectives. I want to be one."_ Unadulterated conviction reflected in his eyes. It astounded her how someone in the prime of his age had already decided on what he'd become and how he'd do it. And when he went on further on how he'd like to be the modern Sherlock Holmes, and how he would never let a culprit die even if they did wrongful acts because that would make him, the detective, no different from a murderer, or how reason and logic aren't necessary to help a person regardless of what kind of life that person had lived, she couldn't help but admire the way he viewed and understood things from his own perspective. She saw a young boy who was principled but kind; a boy that would seek the truth to its end but would make sure that lives wouldn't be in danger along the way.

That short interaction stayed with her even after the project, after middle school, and even until now. Her simple crush wasn't a big deal, she never talked about it with Sonoko. It was just a puppy-admiration thing, and it wasn't like they'd meet and talk to each other again after that project, so she just let her puppy-crush feelings settle at the corner. That's why to have the opportunity to sit with him in the same circle came as a surprise. She doubted he even remembered their interaction though because it was a long time ago and they just talked for a week, in person and through text for the sake of the project. Maybe it was a good thing to let him remember by bringing that up instead of acknowledging his grandiose status in school. He probably had enough of that already as introductions.

"This is Ran, Teitan's karate champ and my best friend since forever!" Sonoko hugged Ran as she proudly introduced her to the others. Ran awkwardly smiled at them and waved. So this was what it felt like standing in front of a crowd of 'elite' individuals looking at you. She didn't feel outcasted though, because they felt all welcoming and fun although it wasn't apparent on their faces.

"Ran, now that you've been introduced to everyone in this room, you'll have to participate in our 'club activity'." Sonoko led her to sit on one of the student chairs.

After Ran asked what kind of activity that would be, Sonoko revealed a pack of cards from her pocket and tossed it on the teacher's table.

"Actually, nothing. We do nothing. Just random stuff, whatever we feel like. But as the initiator of this group, today I, Sonoko-sama, feel like playing cards."

Cool, Ran had never played cards before. It's nice to try something new.

"But if you may know, Ran-san, we don't care much about the random stuff. We care more about its results." Akako approached the girls and sat on a nearby chair.

"Because the one who loses gets a dare!" Sonoko added, grinning slyly at her now bemused friend.

"Last week Hakuba-kun had to sit on Heiji-kun's lap until we finish all rounds and it was the loveliest moment I have ever seen," Momiji reminisced and everyone laughed except for the two scoffing guys.

"And you know what? Today's consequence is going to be more fun – the loser must call the person they like and confess!" Sonoko declared.

"Oh, juicy." Akako commented. "I wonder who from this circle will call _me._"

Turning his head slowly to face her, Hakuba stared her down with a straight face. "Akako-san, not everyone is in love with you."

"That's what you think, Hakuba-kun," she contended, with a matching wink.

The tables were now rearranged so that all of them were facing each other like they were in a meeting. Presiding that 'meeting' was Sonoko, who had now dealt the cards and announced that they'd be playing Old Maid. She explained the mechanics and everyone got it right away.

"_Right. So I just need to get pairs for all my cards." _Ran mentally noted. She looked around her and everyone was focused discarding paired cards from their hands.

Across her was Shinichi, who, with a disinterested face, nonetheless participated in the game.

She paused and admired how he looked. His appearance was different from the last time they were together – his face was much younger then, but now his hair was more refined, shoulders broader, jaw much angular. Yet his eyes still reflected that same old confident vibe. She silently wished that he would look at her direction so that she could admire his beautiful hazel eyes better. And surprisingly, he did. He must have noticed her staring at his direction for a while now that he had to look back at her and acknowledge it. But once their eyes met, she got startled and immediately looked away, embarrassed. She felt like a creep. Meanwhile, Shinichi just pulled a questioning look before returning his eyes to his own hand. Nobody saw, not even Ran, how the corner of his lips tilted slightly for a smile.

"Alright! Let's start the first round!" Sonoko picked a card from the deck of Hakuba, the person to her left. Lucky for the woman, the first card she picked had a pair.

The game continued clockwise, with Hakuba getting from Ran and Ran getting from Momoji, who got from Akako, then Shinichi, then Heiji then back to Sonoko. Cards were discarded so quickly until finally there were only two people left.

Shinichi with two cards, and Ran with one.

The girls cheered at Ran. It was her turn now. There was a 50-50 chance that she'd be the Old Maid. If she got this one wrong, she'd have to reveal to Sonoko and to these new acquaintances her crush. And it'd be very awkward. Because that would be him. The guy right in front of her.

Closing her eyes in nervousness, she decided to pick the card on her left and on Shinichi's right.

And she got it.

Ace of spades paired with the ace of hearts she held.

"Oh my gosh it's Kudo-kun!" everyone in the room laughed.

"Nice one, Ran-san," Hakuba winked at her. Judging from everyone's reaction, it's as if they had been waiting for this moment, for Shinichi to lose. And now that it happened, everyone was thanking her for doing the honor of defeating him.

Ran let out a sigh of relief. By sheer luck, she was saved from a sudden revelation of her hidden crush, who, unbeknownst to the people in the room, was in that same circle. Her contender, even. Glad of her narrow escape, she grinned widely like the rest of them.

"Now, who are ya gonna call Kudo?" Heiji basked at his friend, who just grunted in annoyance.

"I told you, there's no one," Shinichi grumbled.

"You're a bad liar Kudo-kun. Your ears are turning red." Akako pompously flipped her hair to the side, watching the teenage detective glare at her with warm cheeks and red ears.

"I know who! It's Uchida Asami-san, right? That pretty senior who gave you your favorite lemon pie during soccer practice?" Sonoko jested.

"Uchida-san? Oh, that senpai is rather pretty. A lot of guys swoon over her. Ya didn't tell me you're one of those guys, Kudo!"

"Go on, call her! What a lucky girl." Momoji raved, looking at Shinichi endearingly.

Ran, who remained silent all throughout the scene, just watched each and every one of them make their guesses as to this mystery woman. For some reason, at that moment, she felt rather invisible. Not because of their doing or that she felt excluded or something. But she was hoping that maybe anyone, Sonoko perhaps, should mention, even in passing, her name. You know, just to suggest, even as a joke. But no one seemed to have noticed. Well, she wasn't making it obvious to anyone either, even to her best friend. And with all the beautiful people in Teitan High, Shinichi certainly had many options and the odds that he would indeed have a crush on her were nil.

The detective just stared at all of them with half lidded eyes. It wasn't in his personality to shun everyone, and he didn't seem like the type who'd chicken out on the last minute. Taking a deep breath, he took out his phone and flipped it open.

"Fine. I will do it. But do me a favor and don't make any silly reactions, got it?" Shinichi enunciated.

It was only for a split moment but Ran may have noticed him flick his eyes into her direction.

The group cheered when Shinichi started to dial the mystery person's number. He then positioned the phone near his ear and waited for the call to connect.

She hoped that once he made the call, her phone would ring. But ten seconds in and her phone didn't. He was already waiting for the person on the other end of the line to answer it, so of course that person couldn't be her now. She pursed her lips and stared at the window, trying to mask her crestfallen expression.

_Not a big deal._

_Totally not a big deal._

A minute passed but the call didn't connect and he was just directed to voice mail. Wondering what was up, he dialed the number for the second time and waited, but still to no avail.

For the third time, he dialed and his phone continued to ring, until finally the person he was trying to call, answered.

Everyone was staring at Shinichi but to their surprise he didn't speak. Instead, his eyes were wide and he looked confused, and nervous. Ran couldn't understand what was happening but she had a feeling that his surprised look was not because the call connected, but because the call _did _connect when he was perhaps expecting that it shouldn't.

So Shinichi just sat there and everyone's attention was on him. They could hear the voice on the other end but the words the person was saying were unintelligible.

"Yes. I-I'm sorry. I thought—" Shinichi spoke in a flustered manner.

The voice didn't even let him finish. It just hang up.

For several seconds, Shinichi was left staring at his phone. His face was a bit flushed. Then he lifted his head and looked at Ran first, then at Sonoko, and then at the other people in the room, all of whose expressions were as confused as he was.

"But that's a guy's voice." Heiji started.

Slowly and cautiously, Momiji went near him and placed one hand on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry Kudo-kun, we didn't know you're…"

Shocked at the result of what had just transpired and how the others were interpreting it – rather poorly, that is – Shinichi opened his mouth to explain.

"_Barou_! That person was –"

Before he could even comment, his phone rang.

"Oh, Megure-_keibu._ Yes. Yes. Got it. Right now? Okay. We'll be there shortly."

He closed his phone and grabbed his bag, motioning Heiji and Hakuba to tag along with him.

"Hattori, Hakuba, we're leaving. Megure-_keibu _wants us to go to TMPD. They need our testimonies regarding that robbery case we solved last week."

"Aww, you're leaving already? That sucks. I guess that ends our club activity for today." Sonoko mumbled.

"You got away this time, Kudo-kun! You owe us an explanation next week, okay?" Akako exclaimed loudly to the figures walking past her.

Shinichi shrugged, rolled his eyes, and left the room together with the other two guys.

* * *

After she bade farewell to Sonoko and the two girls, Ran walked home alone, lost in thought. She still couldn't make sense of what just occurred, for it all happened so fast. She was introduced to new people, met and interacted with her crush again, and had her heart break just a little for confirming that he already liked someone else. A guy or a girl, she didn't really care. All that stuck with her was the fact that during that time, she might have hoped for a slim chance on him, only for that hope to be completely flushed down the drain.

_Sigh. Life goes on, _she thought, cheering herself up.

Not long after, she was already in front of her apartment.

"I'm home."

Ran opened the door to the detective agency and was disappointed to see her father, with two beer cans on his working desk, watching a horse game live on television. He had been drinking again and it wasn't even night yet.

"Geez! What will you do if a client steps in and sees you like this, _otou-san?_" She rambled, hands on her hips. But Kogoro didn't seem to pay much attention as he was intently concentrating on that horse race while clutching on his race tickets tightly.

Seeing that it was no use reprimanding her inebriated father, she turned around and decided to go upstairs in order to prepare supper.

She was stopped by her drunk father scoffing behind her.

"Ran! Before you *hic* go upstairs can you please take your *hic* phone with you? It's being annoying and disrupting me from the *hic* h-horse race!"

Surprised, she checked her uniform pockets and realized too late that she actually didn't bring her phone to school today. She probably placed it on the center table of the agency when she took the trash out this morning and forgot to get it again before she left.

She rushed to the table and grabbed it before closing the door and ascending the stairs. Several notifications popped up on her home screen when she opened her phone, with unread messages from her dad and Sonoko. There was also a missed call from the laundry shop across the street. She could've stopped there and closed her phone again, but there were still unchecked notifications in her call history. She clicked on it.

_Two (2) missed calls._

_Kudo Shinichi - Cancelled call 16:30  
__Kudo Shinichi - Cancelled call 16:32  
__Kudo Shinichi - Incoming call 16:35 10 seconds._

Eyes widened like saucers, brain lagging for a considerable amount of time.

_Kudo…Shinichi… called me?_

She rushed to her room, closed the door, leaned against it and stilled her heart, allowing herself to process the name appearing on her cellphone screen. The number of ideas popping in her mind all at once was overwhelming her, and all those musings directed to a certain incredible realization – a realization she wanted so much to be true.

Just in case her eyes deceived her, she double checked the caller. She had already forgotten that she had saved his number, but this was still back in middle school. And now once again his name was right before her very eyes. For the many times she hit back and clicked her call history, the name didn't disappear, confirming that this was the real deal.

Not that she was jumping into any ridiculous conclusion, but if she remembered correctly, Shinichi did call his crush thrice. The first two were a miss, and the last one, the recipient hang up. She remembered the recipient being a male.

Is it possible that the recipient who hang up was actually… Ran's dad?

So does that mean that the person Shinichi meant to call…was her?

The call Shinichi made in school? At around 4pm? While they were playing that game? A call that was meant for his crush?

A call that was meant for her?

Mouth still agape, she covered it with her free hand but her eyes remained shocked. This has got to be just a coincidence. She clutched her phone with her other hand tightly, and without even realizing it, she accidentally clicked his name and the phone automatically dialed his number.

Before she could even react, the call had connected. Her phone was now ringing.

_Crap._

Panic hit her like a speeding train but she had to pull herself together fast because after four rings a voice spoke on the other line.

_"Hello?"_

Her throat clenched upon hearing a handsome voice. Certainly, she couldn't mistake that timbre for someone else.

"…Shinichi-san?"

A momentary pause, then the person on the other line dispelled air before speaking, in a much lower voice this time.

_"Yes. And this is Ran-san, right? So you finally have your phone."_

_Finally, _implying that he somehow knew her phone wasn't with her earlier.

She nodded her head, pretty stupidly in fact, because it wasn't like he'd see that.

"You… c-called my phone?" She feebly asked.

_"Yes, I did. A while ago."_

"Are you sure you called the right number?"

There was once again a short pause before he answered. She wasn't sure but with his breathing patterns she thought she could hear him smile.

_"Yes, I'm sure now. You witnessed me call, right? In school."_

"Oh."

Oh.

Wait.

Just. Wait.

_Don't tell me—?_

"T-that's ridiculous."

_"I'm sorry?"_ he spoke.

"That's ridiculous! I mean, b-because… that means I'm-… I – Y-you have a… on me…"

The way she struggled to find the right words must have sounded so funny in the phone that the only response of the voice was to heave a light chuckle. She felt a bit awkward. Ran could definitely picture his expression at the other end of the line – probably a smirk that could make her so embarrassed but at the same time let her swoon for ages.

_"Yes, I do."_

That short statement. He said it too confidently, too certainly, with the same amount of conviction she had heard from him a long while back.

No matter how hard she tried to speak, no words came out. She couldn't even close her mouth. She just leaned there against the door, heart accelerating twice as fast as normal, her breathing clipped and producing short croaks that sounded like she was choking.

This time, it was he who tried to decipher her facial expressions. He could almost make sense of her disbelief through the silence in between them, the sound of nothing but static and her irregular breaths.

_"Ran-san?"_

No response. Feeling that the silence might probably take forever, he decided to speak again.

_"You don't have to say anything back, it's okay. I hope I didn't freak you out. I just want you to know, because it's true. Up 'til now I'm still thankful for that middle school project because through it I was able to meet and know you. I'm happy you still remembered that."_

Someone pinch her. He remembered!

"I—"

If only his friends didn't arrive sooner, he would've stayed on the line longer.

_"I'm sorry, I have to go, Ran-san. I hope to talk to you again soon!"_ Then he hang up.

Ran stood still, immovable, frozen like a statue, except that she wasn't cold like marble. Warmth enveloped her whole senses, the source of warmth coming from her heart which she believed had just exploded. The only thing keeping her from thinking that this was a dream was this soothing warmth spreading on her cheeks and hands like fire. She felt her chest tighten.

That phone call really just happened. And there Shinichi manifested that he liked her.

He. Kudo Shinichi. Likes her. Mouri Ran.

The person she liked– no –likes, likes her back.

The next thing she knew, she had already slumped in her own bed, marveling again and again at that one name on her cell phone screen, unable to contain the giddiness she was feeling.

For sure, it would take a week or more before that smile disappeared from her face.

* * *

"Kudo! Who was that?"

Shinichi closed his phone quickly before Heiji and Hakuba, who had just stepped out from the police department, could see the caller's name on the screen.

"Just – a call I had to attend to. None of your business." He answered coolly before descending the front steps of the building.

His two friends looked at each other quizzically, then back at him. Expecting their pestering, Shinichi quickened his walk way ahead of them, not attempting to look back.

"Lemme guess, did your guy crush regret that he slammed the phone at THE Kudo Shinichi and called ya back to apologize?" Heiji shouted from behind him.

"Or maybe, it was Kudo-san who tried to call the guy again. He couldn't move on from the fact that the guy ended the call so now he's pretending he wasn't affected." Hakuba surmised. It was loud enough for Shinichi to hear, and because of that the latter had to face the two ungratefully but he didn't stop walking. Through his narrowed eyes, he wanted to show to the two that he wasn't laughing and make them understand that they were being pathetic friends.

"Idiots. Anyway I'm going home." He walked ahead and waved his hand lazily, leaving the two behind.

The two guys stood there and watched him disappear from sight.

"Oy Hakuba. Are ya thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That our friend is gay and in love? Yes."

But had they paid more attention to his face as he walked away, they would've seen that unique radiance in his eyes and that crimson shade on his cheeks. Those should've been noticeable because he had never worn that expression before.

And had they pressed him on further, they would've discovered about that short message he had just received. A message that easily caused him to curve his lips into a huge smile and made him thank the heavens for being more alive than ever.

_From: Mouri Ran  
Subject: Thank you._

I'm_ happy you remembered it too, Shinichi-san. I thought it was just me.  
__And now I'll have something new to remember again. Thank you for making the calls._

_-Ran_

_P.S.  
__I like you too._

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! This is the third of twelve. I was inspired by a viral Facebook video and a dialogue prompt I read on Tumblr so I came up with this :D

I'd really, truly appreciate it if you dear readers leave a review; I feel dead sometimes but with just one single review, may it consist of one word or many words, it can turn a frustrated writer's ugly day around. Constructive criticisms are absolutely welcome too. Just, anything to keep the small light in me burning, I'll cling to it. Just not flames, I'm soft ^^;;;


	4. Game 4: Spar With Me

**Game #4 – Spar With Me  
**_"Three weeks. That's too long." "Mm?" She lazily tilted her head up to meet his eyes. His gaze was soft and tender and suddenly her home was not kilometers away; it was right here.  
_Rating: T

* * *

When Ran heard the news from her coach, she was beyond elated.

She had joined and won so many karate tournaments, but being chosen to represent Kanto region for the upcoming national karate championship individual category was a different feeling and a great honor altogether. Having learned so much from her coach and her senpai, it was just about time for her "big break".

In the words of her coach, the whole of Japan ought to know of this 17-year-old Karate Queen, Mouri Ran.

She had been consistently training after homeroom together with her team, five times a week, but now that she was representing not just the city but the whole region, she needed to train much harder. Double the effort. Plenty, rigorous training, morning and afternoon, six times a week, but at the same time making sure she wouldn't tire herself out.

Double the training meant spending lesser time for other things. That included lesser time for peers, classmates, and family. She informed her father about it, and while he was very supportive, he now had to worry how to cook the most basic meals for himself, if he wasn't thinking of eating outside or ordering to-go food from fast food restaurants.

Of course, double the training also meant lesser time for her best friend Sonoko, and her boyfriend Shinichi.

Now, something had been bothering her ever since she came across the big news. It bothered her so much to the point that she almost broke her intense training streak and gave rise to unnecessary insecurities.

And that something – rather, _someone_ – was Shinichi.

To be more specific, a nonchalant, non-reactive, Shinichi.

Surprising and strange, because she never considered herself to be the high maintenance type_._ But when she told him about it, she kind of expected more than just a brush on the shoulder and a thoughtless "_That's awesome, do your best!"_ from him. Sonoko was even more reactive for that matter, the light ginger haired lady getting oh so emotional about how much she'd miss hanging out with her during her three months' worth of training, plus her three weeks of absence for the championship, to be held in Kyushu.

In fact, Shinichi was just… _cool _about the whole ordeal, if not indifferent. He was very proud of her, she was sure of that, always telling her _"That's my girl"_ over the phone after a long day of training (which never ceased to make her blush) and patting her head after a successful spar session with her team and senpai. But those were normal; that's how he treated her all the time, with or without the big tournament. Not once did she see him pout, or complain, or get hesitant, whenever she'd tell him that she couldn't be with him for a day, for several days, for a week and more, because of the trainings.

Instead, he'd just flash a big bright smile and send her off and that was it, they'd go their own separate ways.

Not that she wanted him to stop her or anything, but wouldn't he be a little more… _wistful_? Sad? Sullen? Just like how she was with him whenever he'd get called for a random case? After all, they were being robbed of the precious and limited time they had together? Not to mention that they were already in their last year in high school?

This shouldn't bother her, she thought. Other than how incredibly petty it was, she had other things she needed to focus on, especially now that the competition's drawing near. But it was hard when her love language was quality time, on top of acts of service.

And from the looks of it, she appeared to be the one suffering more from this rather than he.

Maybe she wouldn't feel this way if Shinichi were just as vocal as she was with his feelings and tell her straight up that he'd miss her so much _(He will… right?)._ Maybe being as expressive as Sonoko wasn't really Shinichi's style _(She agrees)_. Maybe Shinichi was just tempering himself in order not to bother her _(She hopes so)_.

Or maybe Shinichi wasn't really _that _invested from the start. In her milestone. Or in the relationship. Maybe.

She sighed.

Times like this she wished she _was_ the detective, if that could mean she'd be able to read his mind.

"Oh, there you are."

Ran turned around just in time to see the approaching figure of Shinichi with his bag slumped over his shoulder. His voice echoed in the empty dojo of the school, her teammates having left ten minutes ago.

"Training hard as usual, I presume."

"I have to double training time now that the competition's just barely two weeks away." Ran grabbed her face towel and wiped her neck and face. She felt Shinichi's eyes linger on her while she did.

"That's my girl."

From his voice she heard him smile. And of course she felt herself blush.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on your way home by now?"

"You want me to leave already? How stingy." He replied, sitting on the opposite side of the bench from where Ran was taking a break. "What if I want to watch you train?"

Heavy silence befell the two as Ran lowered her towel to look at him straight. She patiently waited for him to say something else, and she got her cue when Shinichi looked at her – _really_ looked at her. He took a deep breath before starting.

"This is a huge gamble, knowing you and your skills but, if I can pin you down, then you have to tell me what's up. And if I don't, then I'll tell you what's on my mind. How's that?"

"Eh?"

Ran studied his face, her own expression painted with confusion. Where did that come from?

"Something's bothering you, right? Your eyes just now, they're bleak. Holds a different vibe. And it's not just about the upcoming competition. There's something else."

Her eyes widened a bit and she fell silent. There's nothing she could hide – nothing she could hide, _at all_, from him.

But maybe this was perfect. A wonderful opportunity for her as well. She wanted to pry it out from him. What he thought, how he felt. Of her being away, absent for a considerable amount of time.

There had to be something, right? He should at least feel something akin to longing or sadness, perhaps?

The thought alone made her nervous. But there's no way she'd let this pass.

"Hmm. You know my skills and yet you're here confidently challenging me to a bet? My, how risky, _Meitantei-san_!" she teased.

Without waiting for a reply, she stood from the bench and walked straight to him, pointing her index finger just in front of his nose. "I challenge you to spar with me then!"

Shinichi blinked.

"Whoa there, I'm_ not_ going to spar with you. Don't change the rules. You know I do soccer."

"Pinning me down. Sparring with me. Same difference, Shinichi."

"But Ran," he followed her to the center of the tatami training mat while she tied her hair up and fixed her black belt, "you can't _possibly_ expect me to hit _you_."

She did a little leg stretch as Shinichi stood there, nervous of what disaster he brought himself into.

"Good. Then that'll make it easier for me to kick your butt, thank you."

"Hey, wait a se—"

While Ran may have been aware that Shinichi knew zero about karate, she was reminded of how quick his reflexes actually were after she threw her first kick. She did it without warning and yet he was still able to dodge her instantly.

"Wait a second Ran! Calm dow—_ack!"_

She went for a front leg axe kick and again, surprisingly, Shinichi was able to crouch on time, just before her foot landed on his cheek. He took the momentum from his crouch to tackle her on the waist, but Ran quickly grabbed his right arm and pushed his left shoulder away. She swiftly turned around so that she was behind him.

Ran prepared for a back kick and this time, Shinichi rolled away even before she could raise her heel. His attempt to retaliate, however, became futile. He intended to tackle her from behind but Ran sidestepped, bringing him within her view. She threw a punch but on the last nanosecond, Shinichi stepped back a distance enough to avoid it. His life flashed before his eyes when he felt the gush of wind from her fist breeze his face.

"You're so…damn… fast!" He caught air, Ran being kind enough to give him a moment to breathe.

"I'm not even _that _fast yet, Shinichi. This is just sparring. All my movements are toned down," Ran grinned cheekily. "You should at least try though. C'mon. Kick or punch, be my guest. I'm good at blocking."

Shinichi shrugged.

"Yes, of course. You're the Kanto representative for a reason."

He smoothened his uniform and stood straight a meter away from her. She knew from the get-go that this time, Shinichi would _really _try pin her down. She didn't know how though. But her wild guess was that he'd remain on defense. Even if she gave him her permission, she knew Shinichi would _not _go on the offensive side against her.

If he wouldn't, then fine, she'd just have to wear his defenses down until he gave up.

Maintaining her stance, she closed their gap. Shinichi was as immovable as a rock, but she knew his senses were on high alert. She inhaled sharply before throwing successive straight punches combined with low and high kicks, and Shinichi struggled at times but he managed to avoid all her hits without breaking a huge sweat.

'_I knew it, he's pure defense,' _Ran thought as she threw one more kick, which he blocked with an arm.

She drove off her back leg and delivered a punch directed to his chin. But what he did next caught her off guard. With a little footwork, he parried the blow and grabbed her knuckles. Then, using his other hand, he rolled the sleeve of her karategi.

Before she could react, he planted three chaste kisses that started on her wrist, and ran up her exposed forearm.

She froze in shock.

…_What the heck?! _

It all went so fast, and in that brief moment where her mind went blank, Shinichi closed their distance and his hands grabbed her other wrist and was ready to knee her stomach and push her down the mat.

He'd actually win.

If it weren't for her last minute foot sweep.

So instead of tumbling with him on top of her, it was the other way around.

The mat was soft so the fall wasn't painful. She wasn't supposed to end up on the floor with him but because he didn't let go of her hands, she went along too. One knee was between his thighs and the hand she used for her last punch grabbed both his wrist and pinned them on top of his head.

Both took their time catching air. Her heart burned. Her breath hot.

Her cheeks warm.

And skin _scalding._

"Damn, that was close," he chuckled lightly underneath her.

She shot him daggers, teeth gritting behind pursed lips, and spoke.

"That's really unfair. You _cannot _just do that."

"Yeah, because kicking me without warning isn't."

Ran rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Call it quits."

"You still won anyway. Never stood a chance."

His voice was proud and cheerful. Her heart skipped a beat.

She felt his breath brushing against her cheek and it gave her a different kind of comfort. Her shoulders started to relax. She had always wanted this kind of intimacy.

She let go of his wrists and placed her hands over his school uniform, careful not to crush him with her weight. She leaned her head on his chest, hearing the steady drumming of his heart.

"So," she asked gingerly, "what's on your mind?"

They allowed silence to take over for a minute, before Shinichi raised one hand to her hair and gently combed it with his fingers. Everything felt peaceful. Ran could fall asleep from this.

"Three weeks. That's too long."

"Mm?" She lazily tilted her head up to meet his eyes.

His gaze was soft and tender and suddenly her home was not kilometers away.

It was right here.

"You'll be gone for three weeks."

"Yes, I told you that."

"And I'm saying that's too long."

He continued running his fingers through her hair, his soft, raw expression making her sink deeper into his embrace. She felt herself becoming undone.

"_Ba-ka._ That's nothing compared to how long you made me wait, idiot."

"I know, I know. That's why I refuse to say it." He pulled her closer, a little forlorn smile gracing his lips.

"Because how selfish of me, right?"

_Oh._

His fingers didn't stop smoothing her hair, eyes zeroing in on her.

"You know how much I wanted to ask you to stay a little longer, in every moment you leave the classroom after the bell rings? Or that there are times I attempt to wake up a little earlier just so I can walk with you to school, only to find out that I am still late because you're already on your way? And how many times have I dialed your number in the middle of the day just to hear your voice, but won't press call because I don't want to disturb you from training? There's so much I want to do, go on dates and stuff, make up for the times we lost, but I couldn't, because I know how important training is, and I'm not going to ruin that for you. Karate is a big part of your life. This is a championship of a lifetime we're talking about. I'm not gonna be a child and rob you out of your chance of winning. I'm just thankful I see you everyday in class. That's enough."

Ran didn't realize how much breath she was holding in her lungs. But Shinichi kept on talking.

"And that's how I know how incredibly strong you truly are, Ran. Three months and three weeks and damn, it already _frustrates _me. While you… you managed to pull yourself through, without me, for what, ten, eleven months? What did I do to deserve a strong, beautiful, independent woman like you?" He paused, taking air. "Yet here I am, and I have you. So why the hell should I complain? Why won't I just let myself be proud of you, enjoy your achievements with you, even from a distance, without these stupid, selfish thoughts that are so uncalled for?"

"Shinichi…"

She hated how _much_ she felt that one.

_Of course_ he held himself back.

All this time he kept thinking _he_ was the selfish one. That he didn't have the right to whine about her absence of _three weeks_ when_ he _left her hanging by a thread _for almost a year._ Thinking who was he to deny her of her milestone if he'd constantly demand her utmost attention like he was a baby? He hated how selfish he believed he was, that he'd rather act natural and pretend that her long physical absence did not affect him, when all he ever wanted was to scream her name and pull her back to his arms _every single time_ they'd part ways.

She hated how _he _thought of it that way. Because she believed it was _she_ who was being selfish.

What a mess it was to be such young idiots in love.

"You know for a smart guy, you're actually pretty dumb."

Shinichi's face crumpled.

"_Haah?_ I poured my heart out and that's the reply I get?" He glared at her. She chuckled.

"You're one big idiot! All this time I kept thinking _I_ was the selfish one because I've been waiting for you to do _all _of that you said. And they never happened. So I kinda thought you weren't as… invested in us as I am."

He frowned. "That's absurd. You really think I wasn't?"

"That's why don't do that! It makes me think of dangerous things!"

He snorted.

"Well at least now I know how your subconscious thinks of me."

"Hey! Can you really blame me?" she lightly jabbed his chest. "You acted the way you did, and _ugh,_ guess what, you think that it helped me but no, it _bothered_ me more. I never wished for you to hold yourself back, okay? You don't trust my skills enough to think that I can't give my 100% in this tournament _while_ making time for us? I'm offended. You think you're a distraction? Well, you will be, if you _keep_ on doing that. So, don't. How funny will it be to lose a championship because of some reason as petty as this?"

This time, it was his turn to chuckle.

"Okay, okay…I understand, I'm sorry. I should've known better. I should've read you better."

Shinichi grazed her cheek with the back of his hand, an apologetic smile pulling on his face.

"I'll be a better boyfriend. Forgive me?"

"Yeah, stupid. And I'm sorry too."

"You're a bigger idiot. Your feelings are valid. Don't be sorry."

They giggled softly.

A comfortable silence settled in, both of them relishing this brief moment of physical intimacy, the closest they had ever been for the last three months. He wrapped her into his lean arms, fingers still threading her hair.

"Anything else to say?"

"That's it."

"You sure?"

"…"

His hand abruptly paused behind her head. Red spread on his cheeks and his brows curled as he met her with a soft gaze that penetrated right through her soul.

"I'm proud of you. I love you. And I'll miss you. So much."

Ran felt her heart swell, and her eyes fought back tears threatening to spill. She didn't realize she could love him even more than how she had been loving him for the past years.

All it took were these declarations from him. Declarations coming from the heart. And once again she found herself being dragged into place, back to her center of gravity. The bothersome pang in her chest disappeared, and months' worth of self-doubt vaporized into oblivion.

She felt like she already won.

"Call me every day, Shinichi."

"Yeah."

"And mail will be fine once the day of my match nears. I don't want to be distracted."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, and video call everyday will be nice."

"Uhhh. That's too much."

"Thrice a week?"

"Once."

"No, make it twice."

"Sheesh. What a boss." He flicked his fingers against her forehead and she muttered a faux ouch.

"Just finish your opponents right away and come back here with that golden trophy as soon as you can. Everybody'll be waiting." He hugged her tight and she hugged back, nestling her face above his shoulder.

His hold relaxed. "Now you go back to training. We'll walk home together."

"But I need an hour more."

"It's fine. I can wait."

She pushed herself back and knelt beside him, giving her a cheeky look as she fixed her karategi.

"Oooh. How the tables have turned. Shinichi _waits_ for me."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Forget it, I'm leaving."

She released a hearty laugh and pulled him to his knees, helping him stand up.

"Stay by the bench and watch me train, okay! Imma get that trophy. Don't you worry."

"Never worried to begin with. You'll get it for sure."

He smirked and ruffled her hair before walking back to the bench. Her cheeks warmed up from all the love and support and confidence he had for her.

Yes, she was sure, too. One hundred percent sure. Now, more than ever, her spirit's unstoppable. No emotion held her back. Her skill, her coach and team, her family and friends, her boyfriend's support, she got them all.

For the first time in a long time, everything's under control.

* * *

_*Karategi – _the white uniform in karate

**A/N: **Too much fluff! Making up for the wholesomeness because the next installment is smut. So, rating of this compilation will be up-ed. Reviews are highly appreciated, and thank you for reading!


	5. Game 5: Kiss Without Touch (M)

**Game # 5 – Kiss Without Touch  
**_Shinichi is the master of self-control. Until he isn't.  
_**Rating:** **M for sexual content. PLEASE SKIP if you don't like/read smut.**

* * *

**A/N:** As I mentioned in the previous chapter, rating is raised to M for the sake of this oneshot, to comply with FFNet guidelines. I will probably revert this to T in the future and will just indicate which are M-rated fics in the chapter title, should I decide to make more.

This is just an experimental no-plot oneshot, because I've always wanted to write these two babes doing…things…rough... Yeah. *crooo* SO, I hope you enjoy it! More notes at the end.

* * *

A dare.

It was just supposed to be a dare.

A dare meant to last a short round, as they took turns spinning that damn bottle.

It wasn't supposed to end like this – with her sprawled on his bed, half-naked, cheeks red and hot, under him.

"Remember, no touching _while_ we kiss."

"I know. I remember."

He plastered his lips on hers, hands in utmost restraint, clutching the sheets on either side of her face. Strong smell and taste of alcohol lingered in their mouths. His elbows carried half his weight and his knees the other half. With her shirt raised to a level above her breasts, she covered her almost bare chest with her crossed arms, though it didn't have much effect because their suppleness made them peek from the side. Her bra, unclasped, was useless despite still being worn.

If only he could remove it with his hands, but that would mean losing, and stopping, and that was definitely _not_ what he wanted right now.

He remembered this dare to be easy.

The two of them had been playing spin the bottle in his room for several rounds now, with two bottles of beer and a hard drink on the side. With every round they got tipsier and tipsier, dares upgrading from one simple _'give me a compliment'_ to _'whisper me your fantasies'_, to '_throw me some dirty talk.'_ They meant it as pure, harmless fun; after all, they're just _talking._

For the last round, the bottle pointed at him. This time, however, she went for a change — she dared him to kiss her.

Easy? _Easy._

But he must not, at all cost, touch her while they kissed. Else, they'd stop.

"_Tch. _I can do that," he said, confidently. "I'm a master of self-control."

"I know you are," she replied, scooting closer to the bedside, where his back leaned as he sat comfortably on the carpeted floor.

But they had four-no, five shots and a bottle each.

And even with the slightest movement of his head, everything around him buzzed.

Easy? _Not really._

He closed their distance and their lips smashed, sloppily upon contact. She whimpered softly under his alcohol-tainted breath, gradually easing into the unusual roughness of his usually soft kisses. Once they got the jive and tempo of each other's inebriated lips, they found their mouths in rhythm, broken, smacking sounds echoing loudly in her boyfriend's bedroom.

It was his dare, not hers, so she enjoyed the liberty of sliding her hands at the base of his nape and pulled his hair. Releasing a guttural groan at the force of her fingers, he jerked forward, back leaving the bedside, body pressing against hers.

Their open-mouthed kisses became hotter, until it evolved into a full-blown make out session, tongue gliding along her inner lip before entering her mouth to engage hers in a battle. She cradled his jaw and tilted her head, making sure to let him hear her delightful moans of approval.

Then it was not enough to just pull his face close. Without breaking the kiss, she gripped his shoulders, crawled onto him until she sat on his lap, legs folded on either side of his body.

Startled by the sudden turn of events, he groaned under his breath, dazed eyes locking hers.

"You..."

"_Shh._ We're still playing."

Helpless Shinichi could only do nothing but clutch on the carpet while his girl straddled him.

"You're evil…" And he kissed her again, a little harder than before, fire burning in his fingertips, dying from the desire to do more than just…_this_.

He felt the friction of their chests under clothes as he kissed her. Her soft breasts squeezed against his front as she breathed, perked nipples grazing through the thinness of their clothing.

God knew how much he wanted to fondle her,_ hard_.

Minutes into their lip lock, she started opening all three top buttons of her thin blouse shirt, showing enough cleavage. He wouldn't have noticed if not for her hands clasping his cheeks to break off their kiss and make him look straight to her eyes.

"You can kiss me anywhere, Shinichi," she said, breathlessly, mouth pressing on his ear. "It's not against the rule."

A smirk grew from his lips, knowing exactly what,_ and where_, she was driving at.

"Then," he lowered his head and she angled herself up, warm breath fanning her chest. "Excuse me while I do."

Shinichi dragged his tongue down her clavicle, trailing hot, featherlight kisses from her cleavage to her left breast until his lips settled above a protruding nipple behind lace. Ran purred in satisfaction and started unclasping her bra, making it easier for his mouth to have complete access over her front.

"Getting a little too eager now," his voice muffled as he rubbed his lips against her mounds, eyeing her menacingly, "aren't you?"

She moaned in response. Shinichi took that as a yes.

He bit her gently and licked her in, flicking his tongue back and forth as he felt her pink nub getting harder from the moist. With one hand, Ran held her loose top and bra away from her chest for his convenience, while the other hand she buried in his hair, effectively putting more pressure to his mouth against her flesh, which she liked. He hummed, vibrations adding to her budding pleasure as his teeth and tongue feasted on the area around her nipple, leaving new red marks for her to remember in the morning. Then he transferred his attention to her other breast and did the same.

Shinichi found himself getting more and more aroused by the feminine noises she made, his name escaping her lips so loudly, so expressively, like an anthem.

_God-fucking-damnit_.

He _needed_ his hands.

Struggling with all his might, he grasped at everything within his reach except her, as he returned his mouth to hers and they continued exchanging searing kisses, her arms wrapped tightly around his back, fingers sultrily massaging his scalp, hips sensually grinding against his crotch.

His tipsiness and the intensity of their kiss made it really difficult to control himself. He _itched _to touch her. But a challenge is a challenge.

Besides, he had thought of something he could do without breaking the rule.

That, he'd save for later.

"Ran, stand up," hot breath brushed against heated cheeks. "Let's transfer to the bed."

And so there they were, sprawled on his bed, her under him, as he, groggy from the alcohol but still able enough to make sense of everything, observed her chest covered by her arms heave up and down with every breath she took.

"Remember, no touching while we kiss."

"I know. I remember."

Then he kissed her lips again, then her jaw, then the crevices of her neck.

How unfair that she could drive her nails down his back while he licked her most sensitive spots, but his hands could only go as far as clutching the sheets under her. _Pure torture._

While he was busy drowning her neck with wet kisses, she caught him off guard and pushed him over, effectively towering above him, legs on either side of his torso. When she leaned down, he expected the press of her mouth on his. But instead, he felt it on his neck.

She grazed her lips against his skin, trailing lower, and lower.

The next second, he felt his pants and boxers being pulled down. He shuddered, hands clasping on the sheets, a lot tighter than before.

_This woman is so unfair._

"What do we have here," Ran drawled, gaping at his fine, exposed length, big and twitching between her hand. "Master of self-control, you said?"

"_Barou_," he spoke, flushed, short of breath, eyes covered by his right arm. "I'm still not touching you, am I?"

Sweat trickled down his temple, heartbeat unable to slow down. He prayed that Ran didn't hear the minimal quiver in his voice as the syllables left his mouth.

Then she started stroking.

Up, and down, and he almost choked in his own spit.

He was trying, _trying_ his darnedest to restrain, but his right hand at that moment felt like it had a mind of its own.

Ran seductively kissed the tip of his throbbing manhood.

_Fuck._

He's_ losing_ it. He'd have to put his hand behind her head. _Fuck this._ His length – he wanted it shoved down her throat. _Now._

But Ran abruptly stopped and slapped his hand away.

"Hey. I'm still_ kissing_ you." She said, sullenly. "So no touch."

Shinichi cursed in dissatisfaction.

But the disappointment easily went away the moment her cheeks hollowed, his wholeness disappearing in her mouth.

_"Fu—"_

He bit his lower lip and tilted his head up, stifling a moan.

She bobbed her head, back and forth, alternating small and big movements, taking Shinichi in, her hot tongue dancing around and under his shaft while she did. Her long hair flowed messily all over the place, and since Shinichi couldn't touch anything from her while she _kissed_ him, she used a free hand to gather her hair and pin them in place behind her head. Her other hand joined her mouth in caressing his member, synchronizing their movements before she began quickening her pace.

Eyes a little blurry, he peeked at the woman crouching on top of him. He caught her staring back – beads of sweat accrued on her forehead, her disheveled hair held up by one hand, and her enticing gaze against his, not looking away – she stooped there, between his thighs, ass in the air, watching him observe her while she sucked, sensuously, the remaining strength out of him.

For the many times they did this, _this_, by far, was the most _thrilling_.

Then his muscles tensed, breaths became irregular, ragged. His hands dying to hold her head in place, to push her mouth in him deeper, but he'd just frustratingly end up balling into fists against the sheets, aware of what pleasure he'd lose should he violate her rule.

"_Shit_. Ran I'm—"

She took that as her sign to move her head faster, and rougher, until finally he groaned aloud and his seed flooded her mouth; it was too much that it overflowed, the excess trickling down her chin.

Something about the way her throat moved as he envisioned his essence travel through it, and the way she wiped her chin with her fingers for those she didn't catch, only to lick them all in, made him knit his brows and mouth the word _'fuck'_, feeling the buildup of energy resurging in his lower body. _Holy hell_. As far as he could remember, this was _his _dare. His punishment. Yet, she _still_ managed to spoil him, in the best way possible.

He didn't want it to end like this.

He _must_ spoil her, too.

"Ran, turn around, face the headboard."

She obeyed easily, trudging to the headboard with her knees. Before she could even turn to look at him, something forceful pulled her thighs, her arms stopping her from falling face-flat on the softness of his bed. Her blouse gathered on her upper body, exposing her naked back for his eyes to feast upon.

She heard the ruffling of clothes behind her. "What are you doing, Shinichi?" she mused, cheeks red from the alcohol and their activity.

She was answered by his inviting look and his hands pressing on her buttocks, her skirt raised up and her panties down, causing her to widen her eyes and scowl.

"Hey! You're touchi—!" But she stopped when she saw that feral smirk pulling on his lips.

"I'm not kissing you right now, and you cannot kiss me like this. So I _can_ touch."

Ran felt his tip rubbing against her folds. Her legs stiffened.

"It's not against the rule, is it?" The playfulness of his voice had her heart pounding crazily, though she masked it by feigning annoyance. He must have thought about this earlier, wanting to save it in the heat of the moment where he knew she couldn't resist. And she couldn't protest; he wasn't wrong.

What did she expect, this detective knew how to search for loopholes; a natural at turning everything to his advantage.

"I hate you."

"No you don't. You love me."

He thrusted, eliciting from her a pleasured gasp.

"And you'll love this."

Ran felt like she saw stars.

This was a new position that they would probably only attempt when they're drunk, because she'd be too shy to do this while sober. Though rather embarrassing for her, remarkably, it felt good. _Really_ good.

No – best so far.

Shinichi was big, but she felt him bigger in this angle. And he felt her tighter than ever. More than that, he could see her perfect slender figure—the depth of her spine, the junction where her waist and hips meet, her arched back— and the cheeks of her behind, delicately bouncing with his every thrust.

_God. She's so fucking hot._

"_Hngh_—Shinichi!"

He'd withdraw his length up to her entrance only to shove it back in. He did so repeatedly, and she moaned her _ahh's _and his name, alternately, voice low and airy but became louder and higher as he quickened. It was their first time to do it while tipsy-drunk and he realized that she's rather noisy in bed with alcohol in her system. _Fucking sexy._

He accelerated more, eyes glued to her buttocks bouncing as he pumped into her core nonstop. Her voice crescendoed into pleasured cries, screaming, '_it's so good'_, and damn— _that_ just caused him to grab her ass tighter.

The pleasure built up for both of them as he got faster and faster, hips pummeling her rough and hard. The sound of skin slapping against skin couldn't be contained – so loud it probably echoed in his hallway – but they couldn't care less. They had the house all to themselves. She could scream his name to her heart's content; no one's going to mind.

He need not even tell her once.

"_Fuck! Shinichi—" _

"More?"

"_More!_" She cried.

She wanted more, so he gave her more. He leaned his upper body close to her exposed back, making it easier for his left hand to go under and touch her between her legs. He teased her wet nub with his fingers, rubbing it in circles while he fucked her in earnest. His right hand found her right breast, kneading it so possessively, yet so tenderly like the gentleman that he was, a stark contrast to his rougher actions. His lips were so close to the valley of her spine; if he puckered he'd brush against her flesh. But he amazed himself with his self-control – _if he could still call it that_ – because even so he refused to, as if he was trained his whole life to obey rules. Her rules.

"You like this?" He whispered against her ear.

Words failed her, head spinning in circles, and she bit her lip and nodded vigorously. But he wanted her voice. He rammed her to the hilt, reaching a good spot, her walls clamping hard around him as she tried with all her might to keep her torso bucked up and moving to match his thrusts.

"Then say it, love."

"…_Yes_!" She yelped, airily, coarsely, like her voice was being sucked away from her. She was no longer in any condition to defy him, to question his demands, even though she originally had the upper hand. But that didn't mean she wasn't liking it. She was loving him and she was _definitely_ loving what they were doing and how he was doing it. How he was doing _her_.

In between her cries of pleasure, she felt the bundle of nerves under his touch become more sensitive. The stars before her eyes swirled into a giant mass beyond her reach as she drew so close, _so near_ her climax. Clutching tightly on the sheets, she turned her head sideways in an attempt to meet his gaze.

"_Don't stop – I'm almost, ah!"_

"Ran… _Shit, _just a little bit_ – more –"_

His bed rocked and shook in sync with their movement, though both were unmindful as her ecstatic whimpers and his deep groans overpowered the creaking sound it produced. In one final thrust, she came, hard and messy and a _lot_, her hotness enveloping his shaft, trickling down her legs, dampening his sheets. The sensation of her essence coating his member didn't leave him far behind, as seconds later, he filled her with equal warmth and euphoria for the second time of the night. Her fragile body constricted, her folds clung tightly around his length which pumped his release in delicious intervals, and her insides felt so warm, _so warm. _She had never felt so_ full._ She was treated so fucking _right._

Tired, ragged breaths resonated their shared space as he relaxed his hold around her waist, his other hand supporting his weight while his forehead rested on her shoulder sheathed by her blouse shirt, soaked from sweat. Ran felt him soften before he withdrew, and her knees finally surrendered to the strain as she slid them against the sheets, allowing her lower body to recover from the wild ride she had just been in. Shinichi collapsed unceremoniously beside her.

With the remaining consciousness and strength he could muster, he turned to Ran and buried his face in her neck, nuzzling like a comfortable cat.

"You're crazy…" Ran purred, playing with his hair.

"And you're hella noisy." Shinichi replied, cheekily.

He wrapped his leg above her thighs and pulled her closer to him with his left arm, his nose brushing against her neck as he inhaled the scent of alcohol and her sakura perfume and the fabric of her blouse and her sweat. The mix overwhelmed him but that didn't make it any less addicting. _She_ was so addicting. He placed a tender kiss on the tip of her shoulder and she sighed.

Damn this woman. Such a temptress. A temptress he'd willingly fall for every single time. He'd do nothing but give in to this irresistible urge to kiss her, and kiss her, and just _fucking _kiss her_._

He heard Ran giggle.

"Ne, Shinichi."

"Mm?"

"You _do_ know you lost just now."

A beat. Then a sharp exhale.

"Ah, fuck."

Whatever though.

Not anymore in his proper headspace to mind.

* * *

**A/N:** A drunk ShinRan is a slightly-OOC ShinRan. ^^;; (Also just my excuse to write them like this AAHH I'm sorry I shall stop being ShinRan thirsty lmao). Also, updates will be slow after this because I'll be preparing for a licensure exam. Until the next update, let this chapter be my humble offering. I appreciate some kind reviews btw! :) Thank you!


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